Tragic news for, um, probably someone out there. Although honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if no one was disappointed the massive World Golf Hall of Fame complex in St. Augustine, Florida was moving back to its original home in Pinehurst. A much smaller, less complex home. I certainly don't have any strong feelings; I never went and had literally no interest in going, which is probably part of the problem the World Golf Hall of Fame faced. A golf museum would be interesting, but the WGHF facility was enormous, with multiple mediocre, overpriced golf courses. It went all in on being a "destination," but you don't just conjure a golf destination out of dull Florida swamp.
Streamsong? Whatever are you talking about?
Actually, let's talk about that. Streamsong (along with Bandon Dunes, Sand Valley, Cabot Links, etc.) works because the golf is inspired. Golf courses designed by people who care about golf. The WGHF was way too corporate, way too sanitized. And the people behind the WGHF thoroughly overestimated the place's attraction. They hoped for a million visitors a year. They got a quarter of that at most, and for the last 10 years got about 5% of that lofty goal. Frankly, I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did. Golf is just not that popular a sport.
I don't know if the new Pinehurst location will be any more successful than the St. Augustine location, but at the very least, Pinehurst is a golf town. Golfers will be in the area. And it does rain in North Carolina pretty often. I don't think it would make up for a rained-out round at Pinehurst No. 2, but hey, at least you don't have to sit in your hotel room now! That's a great tagline for the new World Golf Hall of Fame: "It's better than doing nothing."
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